Bloomsberry Market

Bloomsberry Market, a 3-couple dance first found in the 1703 edition of The Dancing Master, was reconstructed by Andrew Shaw in his book Farnicle Huggy: Interpretations of Late 17th Century and Early 18th Century English Country Dances. Its signature move is the turn single home (right for the men, left for the women), executed after the series of hand turns in the A music, while the active man or woman dances to first place up the outside of their lines. It is a very social move and. for the 2nd woman, leads smoothly into the hey-for-3 across the dance with the top couple.

Notice that during the hand turns in the beginning of the dance the inactives step into the turn to ensure it gets 'round the full 1 1/2 x in the 8 counts allotted to each turn. The lead up at the end for couples 2 and 3 is very precise, with 4 counts for partners to meet and 4 to lead up.

We danced Bloomsberry Market "for those who know" at the 2013 Celebration of Spring Ball presented by the Country Dancers of Westchester at St Thomas' Episcopal Church in Mamaroneck, NY, Orly Krasner calling and music by CDW's long-time, much loved house band leader Leah Barkan, piano, joined by John Austin, violin and viola; Mark Eisenberg, recorders; and Sue Polansky, clarinet. Special thanks are due to the dancers in the top-of-the-hall demo set: Jackie Algon and Carl Andersen, Gladys Cerrina and Steve Landowne, and my partner for the dance, Angela Hill. --Paul Ross